Your ''best kept secret'' speaker choice ?


Some manufacturers have the financial means to plaster magazines with ads. For other, they are still at the word-of-mouth stage, and many will not get past this line.

I was wondering what less-than-well-known, or obscure speaker out there stand out as particularly gifted both in sonics and value ? Could be in any price category....
sonicbeauty
Green Mountain Audio Europa. Although there is a small, cult-like following behind the Europa's, they are certainly not as well known as they should be. For under a grand new, the Europa's are at least on par with the likes of Merlin TSM's and Revel M30's. And that's not a knock on the Merlins or Revels, I think they are both excellent speakers for the price too. The Europa's, however, are an absolute steal.
DeVore Fidelity - a small company based I think in New York. They have a small monitor called the Gibbon 3 and a floorstander, the Gibbon 8. I don't own these but heard the monitors recently and they are fantastic. Tiny speakers that throw a huge soundstage, very musical, not fatiguing in the least.
I second the Magnepan. I've owned lots of speakers
(expensive and cheap) and I keep coming back to
Magnepans. First owned Tympani 1-C's in the late 70's,
then MG-IIIa's in the late 80's and now 1.6QR's. I
expect my next pair will be 3.6's.

There are lots of good speakers around, but the Magnepan
magic is something special.
Reimer speakers. Individually hand-built. Good efficiency. Great sound! I own the McCullough, and I'm impressed.
I have propounded on this topic many times here already, but like any good pragmatist here goes...

The company is a name know to EVERYONE, but not as a speaker manufacturer. Sony made a series of speakers which were American designed and made with a cost-no-object design budget. They came up with 3 models, one of which was radically improved in subsequent versions. They models developed were the SS M3, SS M7 (which I own) and the SS M9 (which I bought to replace the SS M7).

The first model is a small two-way book shelf speaker. The next model is a stand-mounted three-way with beautiful mid range, but no serious bass. The next model is a floor standing three-way four driver ported design. When I went from the SS M7 to the SS M9 I expected better bass, I was surprised to hear that ever aspect of the speakers sound was improved.

The SS M9 has evolved from a $5000 speaker to an amazing $20,000 speaker in the last few years.

They are all very good speakers for obviously different needs and budgets, but are worth investigating by anyone who wants more speaker than than are paying for from their manufacturer of choice!

Can someone help me off my soapbox, this long-winded diatribe has left me dizzy!